As they shuffle through the locker room after their first spring practice under coach Rick Neuheisel today at Spaulding Field, the UCLA football players will see a board they have never seen before.
The board will show who won which drills that day of practice, and every player will see it when he leaves the locker room.
“I want to know which personalities are going to carry the day, which guys are going to lead in those situations,” Neuheisel said. “This brings leaders to the fore.”
It may be the smallest change the players face in spring ball, which starts today and concludes with an April 26 scrimmage at the Rose Bowl. The team has a new head coach in Neuheisel, a new offensive coordinator in Norm Chow, and several new position coaches.
But the board is a part of what Neuheisel believes is the key thing for UCLA this spring: making the huge transition that he hopes will create a faster tempo and more competitive culture in the program.
In the long run, that transition may be more important than the individual position battles, Neuheisel said.
“That’s a must in my mind … that guys understand that we are going to be working hard and fast,” Neuheisel said.
In a meeting with reporters on Monday, Neuheisel spoke about the “ripple effect” of such broad change and his expectation that it may be an obstacle in the upcoming practices.
“At some point we have to move forward,” he said. “It has to happen. Everybody has got to get through those growing pains and get excited about the fall.”
Neuheisel’s focus on this transition doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of personnel issues for the team to address during these practices.
The most glaring of those issues is at quarterback. There are five quarterbacks on the roster who will have a shot at the starting job: juniors Ben Olson and Pat Cowan, sophomore Osaar Rasshan, freshman Chris Forcier, and junior transfer Kevin Craft.
Olson is listed first on the spring depth chart and is the tentative favorite. Olson, Cowan and Rasshan all started at least one game for the Bruins in 2007.
But Neuheisel said past performance won’t be a major part of his decision; he wants to see the quarterbacks play instead of relying on tape.
That means that Forcier, who redshirted last year and has four years of eligibility remaining, and Craft could compete as well.
Craft is the wild card. He just enrolled in spring classes here after a season at Mount San Antonio College. His size, mobility and arm strength will give him at least a chance at winning the job.
It will certainly be a challenge for Neuheisel and Chow to get all five players opportunities to prove themselves in just a few practices, but the staff hopes to decide on a quarterback by the end of spring ball, and Neuheisel said he would not hesitate to make the decision.
If that wasn’t enough, all of the quarterbacks will be working to learn Chow’s new offense.
“There is a huge challenge at quarterback,” Neuheisel said. “This competition is going to go fast because we can’t spread it five ways and do the team service.”
If the quarterback competition is the team’s biggest challenge, the offensive line may be its biggest concern. The unit returns only three players with significant experience: tackles Aleksey Lanis and Micah Kia and center Micah Reed.
Neuheisel and new offensive line coach Bob Palcic will focus on developing more depth this spring. They’ve shifted tight end Adam Heater to center and will work with several other underclassmen.
The top Bruin running backs, junior Khalil Bell and freshman Raymond Carter, are both still recovering from injuries. Bell won’t be ready until training camp at the very earliest. Carter will only take part in noncontact drills.
The bright spot on the offense for Neuheisel is the tight end position. Logan Paulsen may be the most experienced player on the offense after starting every game of the past two seasons. Nate Chandler has a lot of potential as well, with Neuheisel going so far as to compare the 6-foot-3-inch freshman to a young Kellen Winslow.
The defense won’t face as much turmoil because coordinator DeWayne Walker is still at UCLA after coaching under Karl Dorrell for the past two seasons.
The one defensive unit that worries Neuheisel is the secondary. The Bruins lost three starters from the 2007 team, including both of their starting safeties. That area is one where incoming freshmen could make a big impact when they arrive this summer. But for now, the Bruins will work with safeties Bret Lockett and Aaron Ware and cornerbacks Michael Norris and Alterraun Verner on the first team.
The Bruins certainly have a lot of work, adjustment and competition ahead of them, but Neuheisel is enthusiastic and confident.
“The winner of the drill is always going to be UCLA,” Neuheisel said.
SCHEDULE SWITCH: The Bruins will open their 2008 season and play their first game under Neuheisel on national television against Tennessee at the Rose Bowl. The game was moved to Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1, and will be aired by ESPN at 5 p.m.
The Bruins’ game against Fresno State has been moved to Sept. 27.
With reports from David Woods, Bruin Sports senior staff.